This application claims the priority of 101 37 035.0, filed in Germany on Jul. 30, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a petrol-tank flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a pivotably mounted petrol-tank flap which is retained in its closed position by a locking device.
A petrol-tank flap arrangement of this type having a pivotably mounted petrol-tank flap can be inferred as already being known from European Patent Document EP 0 846 585 A2 (corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,638). The petrol-tank flap is retained in its closed position by means of a locking device. In this case, the locking device of the petrol-tank flap comprises a xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x94push lock xe2x80x9d.
An object of the invention is to provide for a motor vehicle a petrol-tank flap arrangement of the type mentioned at the beginning, the petrol-tank flap of which can be opened in a more convenient manner.
This object is achieved according to the invention by providing a petrol-tank flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, having a pivotably mounted petrol-tank flap which is retained in its closed position by a locking device, wherein the petrol-tank flap is assigned a driving device which enables the petrol-tank flap to automatically swing open into its refuelling position after the locking device is released.
Advantageous refinements of the invention can be gathered from the specification and the claims.
In the case of the petrol-tank flap arrangement according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the petrol-tank flap is assigned a driving device which enables the petrol-tank flap to automatically swing open into its refuelling position in a more convenient manner after the locking device is released. In this case, the locking device can be released both by direct actuation of the petrol-tank flap and by remote actuation from the interior of the motor vehicle.
It has proven particularly convenient according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention to smooth the opening movement of the petrol-tank flap by means of a damping element. The opening movement can be undertaken here by a spring energy store which can be regenerated in a simple and reliable manner when the petrol-tank flap is swung shut.
A pushxe2x80x94push lock of the locking device has proven to be particularly worthwhile in the case of the direct actuation of the petrol-tank flap in order to open it according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention. In this case, the petrol-tank flap can also be locked via the central locking system of a motor vehicle by means of a tappet element which is secured axially by an additional, mechanical securing means.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.